TPPA Cements Us into 20th Century Thinking

Three women
have cemented themselves in place outsid Labour MP Ruth
Dyson’s office in Christchurch today as Trade Minister
David Parker prepares to sign the CPTPP/TPPA trade deal in
Chile.

There was a spectacle at 1pm today as barrows of
cement were poured around the feet of the three protestors,
with actors dressed as MP David Parker and two labour party
officials herding them place.

The actor dressed as David
Parker proclaimed that "after years of public opposition,
the Labour party is thrilled to cement New Zealand into the
renamed CPTPP without the independent review we
promised!"

Meanwhile 'Our Children's Future' spokesperson
Gen de Spa said that “Far from being the “21st Century
agreement” touted by its proponents, the TPPA locks us
into 20th Century thinking which is not fit for purpose in
today’s challenging times.”

There has been a police
presence at the protest since 2pm. For now the three women
remain set in cement while other supporters are holding
signs with much tooting from people in passing cars. MP Ruth
Dyson arrived at 2:45pm and is currently inside the
office.

A poll conducted by independent research company
UMR in February this year found that a massive 75% of New
Zealanders agree that the government should commission an
independent analysis of the agreement.

Standing shin deep
in concrete, de Spa said “The people of Aoteaora are
being cemented into a regressive deal with the signing of
the CPTPP. A new name and some changes in punctuation
doesn't change the deal we've been protesting for years. By
signing we’ll be a step closer to being cemented in place,
vulnerable to being sued by overseas corporations when we go
against their profits, for example taking action on climate
change or to protecting our waterways”

“We’ve got
one last chance to get out before the deal is set firm” de
Spa said “Kiwis are going to need to get moving to get the
government to break out of the CPTPP before the concrete can
finally set with it’s ratification by Parliament” she
continued.

De Spa was clear that the action today was
intended to “send a message to the people of New Zealand -
to pay attention and get active, because the Labour led
government is pouring the same cement that we were opposing
when National was in the mix.”

She finished with a
message to the government, “We will continue to work
towards ‘people and planet-friendly’ solutions to the
big issues the world is facing and to protect our future
from dangerous climate change - this is your chance to show
leadership on these issues, because climate change really is
this generation’s ‘nuclear-free moment’. If you
don’t, we’ll be making cracks to grow through the
concrete.”

A similar protest has been staged in Motueka,
replicating the 'Cemented in the TPP' outside Damien
O'Connors Labour office.

Years of sustained protest saw
Labour, New Zealand First and the Greens all coming into
power opposing the TPP trade deal. Now rebranded as the
CPTPPA and with negligible changes, the treaty is being
signed by Labour in Chile today. Once signed it will still
need to be ratified by the NZ government to fully come into
effect.

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